Written Answers Thursday 10 June 2010

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to limit any damage to the soil on the farm near Coupar Angus where potato seed infected with Dickeya solani imported from the Netherlands via a farm in England has been found.

Richard Lochhead: Dickeya infection is most likely to persist in the soil if potato material remains. For this reason the planted potatoes were ordered to be lifted immediately, before they could rot or produce new tubers. No potatoes are to be planted in the field until 2012, and any re-growth which emerges must be destroyed, to ensure that all potato material has been removed. This will minimise any risk of infection to future crops in that field. All machinery used in the field must also be cleaned and disinfected to avoid spreading infection to other crops.

Ambulance Service

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average ambulance response time has been to emergency calls in each NHS board area in each year since 1999.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29061 on 1 December 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

  The average response times for 2009-10 are set out in the following table.

  

 NHS Board Area
 2009-10


 Cat A
 All


 Argyll and Clyde
 6.4
 7.6


 Ayrshire and Arran
 6.8
 8


 Borders
 8.6
 9.7


 Dumfries and Galloway
 8.1
 9.1


 Fife
 6.6
 7.5


 Forth Valley
 7
 8.5


 Grampian
 6.8
 8


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 6.8
 8.9


 Highland
 8.2
 9.3


 Lanarkshire
 7
 8.2


 Lothian
 6.8
 8.5


 Orkney
 N/A
 11.5


 Shetland
 N/A
 13.1


 Tayside
 6.8
 7.8


 Western Isles
 N/A
 9.8


 Scotland
 6.9
 8.4



  Notes:

  *Information provided by the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS).

  **SAS systems record data under the previous structure of 15 geographic health boards.

  ***"All" emergency is defined as Category A, B and C calls.

  ****The Scottish Ambulance Service completed the roll-out of the priority-based dispatch system across mainland Scotland in March 2004, so 2004-05 is the first year in which average Category A and "all" emergency responses can be measured across Scotland. Figures for earlier years are not available as the information held is not comparable. Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles are subject to different performance management measures so figures are provided at an all emergency level.

Birds

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive under what conditions a licence would be granted to kill a common buzzard.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence is required to be presented before a licence to cull birds of prey on shooting estates can be issued.

Roseanna Cunningham: The licences are permitted under Section 16(1)(k) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The act requires that licences are to prevent serious damage to livestock, and that there should be no other satisfactory solution. The Scottish Government would also not issue any licence that threatened the conservation status of the species concerned. No further detailed guidelines were published in conjunction with the legislation provisions. The Scottish Government is currently in the process of consulting with stakeholders to establish what, if any, guidelines might be required before any such licences could be granted. This process has not been concluded.

Business Rates

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is possible for a business to have part of its premises deemed not liable for rates if that space is being unused.

John Swinney: Where property is partially unoccupied, the local authority can request the local Assessor to apportion the rateable value for the property between the occupied and unoccupied parts.

  The local authority may then apply empty property relief to the unoccupied portion.

Cancer

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths there have been from malignant melanoma in each year since 1999.

Nicola Sturgeon: The number of deaths for which the underlying cause was a malignant melanoma of skin are published each year by General Register Office for Scotland (GROS). The figures requested for 1999 to 2008, are given in Vital Events Reference Table 6.1:

  http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/publications-and-data/vital-events/vital-events-reference-tables-2008/section-6-deaths-causes.html.

  These figures are summarised in the following table:

  Table 1. Deaths from Malignant Melanoma of the Skin in Scotland 1999-2008.

  

 Year
 Deaths


 1999
 127


 2000
 115


 2001
 145


 2002
 132


 2003
 146


 2004
 151


 2005
 158


 2006
 158


 2007
 164


 2008
 171



  Source: General Register Office for Scotland. Melanoma of the skin; code C43 in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD10).

Curriculum for Excellence

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the results of its research into employers’ current awareness of the Curriculum for Excellence will be published.

Michael Russell: Research is underway to gain insights employers’ communication needs in relation to Curriculum for Excellence and to assist in the development of relevant communications for employers. The findings will be reported to the Scottish Government in July.

Environment

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the likely reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as a result of the recession.

Stewart Stevenson: The emissions projections used by the Scottish Government and the Committee on Climate Change take account of the recession based on the 2009 growth forecasts. These show emissions falling by 0.4% between 2007 and 2008, by 1.2% between 2008 and 2009, and by 0.1% between 2009 and 2010. It is not possible to say how much of the decrease in greenhouse gas emissions projected for 2008 and 2009 is due to the recession and how much is due to UK and Scottish Government policies.

  There is a significant degree of uncertainty when projecting emissions, and the Committee on Climate Change acknowledged this when giving advice to the Scottish Government.

Environment

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has concerns regarding unsustainable palm oil production and, if so, how these impact on any decisions it makes regarding supporting business development with multinational companies in Scotland.

Richard Lochhead: Many Scottish food businesses are taking steps to ensure that palm oil comes from sustainable sources with the efforts of some companies recognised by bodies such as WWF (World Wildlife Fund). Scottish Government is playing its part by encouraging consumers to look for sustainable products through the Go Greener campaign.

Environment

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many breaches of the diffuse pollution regulations were recorded by Scotland’s Environment and Rural Services (SEARS) in 2009 and which general binding rules those breaches related to.

Richard Lochhead: As part of the SEARS Programme, staff of the Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspection Directorate (SGRPID) and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) combine diffuse pollution compliance assessments, on behalf of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, (SEPA) during scheduled inspections of rural land.

  

 
 No. of SGRPID/SNH inspections 2008-09
 No. non-compliant farms 2008-09
 No. of SGRPID/SNH inspections 2009-10
 No. non-compliant farms 2009-10


 DP GBR 18
 896
 10
 857
 10


 DG GBR 19
 896
 36
 857
 32


 DP GBR 20
 896
 7
 857
 2


 DP GBR 21
 896
 7
 857
 2


 DP GBR 22
 896
 5
 857
 2


 DP GBR 23
 896
 4
 857
 3


 DP GBR 24
 391
 11
 273
 5


 Total 
 1,287
 80
 1130
 56



  Notes:

  DPGBR 18: The storage and application of fertiliser

  DPGBR 19: Keeping of livestock

  DPGBR 20: Cultivation of land

  DPGBR 21: The discharge of water run-off via a surface water drainage system to the water environment.

  DPGBR 22: Construction and maintenance of waterbound roads and tracks

  DPGBR 23: The application of pesticide

  DPGBR 24:Operating sheep dip facilities

  DPGBRs18-23 are checked together. DPGBR 24 is checked at a different time.

Environment

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the breaches of the diffuse pollution regulations recorded by Scotland’s Environment and Rural Services (SEARS) 2009 have been remediated and what action is being taken for those that have not been.

Richard Lochhead: All 80 breaches in 2008-09, and all 56 breaches in 2009-10 were remediated or are in the process of being remediated.

Equal Pay

David McLetchie (Edinburgh Pentlands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its latest and best estimate is for the total liability still to be met by local authorities in settling equal pay claims.

John Swinney: This is a matter for local authorities as independent corporate bodies. It is not information which is held centrally by the Scottish Government.

Ferry Services

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average fuel usage per operational hour is for each vessel owned or operated by (a) Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd, (b) CalMac Ferries Ltd and (c) NorthLink Ferries Ltd.

Stewart Stevenson: CalMac Ferries Ltd

  The CalMac vessels operate the contracted passenger, car and freight services for the Hebrides and Clyde.

  The contracted timetable requires the vessels to operate at a range of differing speeds and varying weather conditions which can all impact on the fuel consumption.

  The calculated average fuel consumption per hour is set out below. Because of the number of factors determining these calculations, they should be treated as approximations.

  Average Fuel Consumption per Hour (Litres)

  

 Vessel
 


 Argyle
 380


 Bute
 380


 Caledonian Isles
 720


 Clansman 
 1,280


 Coruisk
 250


 Eigg
 32


 Hebridean Isles
 580


 Hebrides
 1,275


 Isle of Arran
 550


 Isle of Cumbrae
 45


 Isle of Lewis
 1,360


 Isle of Mull
 750


 Loch Alainn
 95


 Loch Bhrusda
 160


 Loch Buie
 50


 Loch Dunvegan
 90


 Loch Fyne
 90


 Loch Linnhe
 50


 Loch Portain
 450


 Loch Ranza
 50


 Loch Riddon
 50


 Loch Shira
 115


 Loch Striven
 50


 Loch Tarbert
 60


 Lochnevis
 350


 Lord of the Isles
 710


 Raasay
 36


 Saturn
 258


 Muirneag
 650



  NorthLink Ferries Ltd.

  Hjaltland and Hrossey.

  The timetable prescribed by Northlink’s contract with the Scottish Government requires the vessels to operate at a range of differing speeds and the vessels were therefore designed for this with four main engines and a number of other features which can be used in combination to optimize the fuel used for the different operating speeds.

  The main engine rate of fuel consumption varies from 900 litres to 1,100 litres per hour depending on loading and therefore the vessels have a fuel consumption rate that varies between 900 litres and 4,000 litres per hour depending on speed, loading, the combination of engines in use, and whether shaft alternators are being used.

  Hamnavoe.

  The vessel was designed to meet the Scottish Government’s service specification in terms of classification, carrying capacity and journey time on the defined route. The vessel main engines consume about 1,500 litres per hour

  Hildasay and Clare

  Both vessels are Time Chartered freight vessels.

  Hildasay consumes about 840 litres per hour and Clare consumes about 700 litres per hour.

Ferry Services

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what strategies have been introduced to reduce fuel burn and emissions across the CalMac, Cowal and Northlink Ferries Ltd fleets and how successful these strategies have been.

Stewart Stevenson: CalMac Ferries Ltd

  CalMac Ferries Ltd has commissioned a carbon footprint study to identify options to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from its operations.

  The objectives of this project were to:

  1. Calculate a carbon footprint of CalMac’s shipping and onshore activities

  2. Identify potential options for reducing CO2 emissions from CalMac’s shipping and onshore activities

  3. Assess the feasibility of options in light of CalMac’s operational restraints

  4. Recommend the next steps to reduce CalMac’s carbon footprint.

  The programme has commenced with plans to change the propeller blade types on four of the ships from the major vessel fleet which is calculated to reduce fuel and save 2000 tonnes of CO2 per year.

  The project is ongoing.

  NorthLink Ferries Ltd

  Hamnavoe was converted to allow the main engines to run on 40cSt (centiStokes) fuel instead of the more expensive Marine gas oil (MGO).

  This change of fuel type is on track to deliver significant benefits in terms of lower fuel costs and lower fuel volume consumption given the higher energy content.

  Hascosay and Clare were both moved from MGO to lower cost 40cSt which also has a higher energy content.

  In 2010 Hildasay replaced Hascosay and this vessel operates on 220cSt fuel.

  Hjaltland and Hrossey are designed to minimize the fuel used for the different design speeds. An example of this is the ability to run on one or two engines through a single propeller with the second propeller fully feathered and stopped with two of the blades aligned with the propeller shaft A-frame – hence minimizing the underwater drag.

  In 2009 NorthLink replaced the underwater antifouling paint on Hjaltland and Hrossey with a newer Teflon type product which has an improved environmental action and which through reduced drag reduces the volumes of fuel used. Indications to date suggest that the percentage fuel volume saving claimed by the paint manufacturers is being exceeded.

  Shore procedures have been tightened to ensure that vessels are able to depart quickly after the last check-in time and maximize the time available for a crossing. This ensures the minimum engine power and fuel consumption is used to achieve an on time arrival.

Ferry Services

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the anticipated average fuel usage is per operational hour of the CalMac Ferries Ltd ferry, MV Finlaggan.

Stewart Stevenson: Currently it is not possible to give average fuel usage per operation for this vessel as the relevant timetable set out the Scottish Government’s contract with CalMac is under discussion and still to be finalised.

  Average fuel usage will depend on the speed the vessel needs to operate at to meet the requirements of the timetable.

Finance

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether free school meals, free prescriptions, NHS distinction awards or any other of its policies are protected under the expenditure analysis of the Independent Budget Review.

John Swinney: The remit for the Independent Budget Review, which has been published, makes clear the scope of the work to be undertaken by the review.

Fuel Poverty

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what annual quantity of fuel has been used by (a) Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd, (b) CalMac Ferries Ltd and (c) NorthLink Ferries Ltd in the last five years, broken down by fuel type.

Stewart Stevenson: Under the public service contracts concluded with the Scottish Government in July 2006 (Northlink) and September 2007 (CalMac), the operators are responsible for managing the consumption of fuel required to meet the prescribed timetables. Detail of this information is, therefore, commercially sensitive.

  David MacBrayne Ltd, the parent company of Northlink Ferries Ltd and CalMac Ferries Ltd, manage fuel procurement centrally. Total consumption is around 75m litres per year.

Fuel Poverty

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will hold discussions with the UK Government on the need for data identifying those households on tax credits so as to ensure that they receive support from the Energy Assistance Package.

Alex Neil: We are always seeking opportunities to promote the Energy Assistance Package in the most targeted and effective way. Identifying those in receipt of tax credits is important data, but as this is only one of a number of criteria for eligibility at stages 3 and 4 of the Energy Assistance Package it may have limited value. In addition, we will consider the results of the DWP data sharing pilot in shaping any future approach along these lines.

Fuel Poverty

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to support rural housing associations to address fuel poverty levels.

Alex Neil: Over 2009-11 we have made £7.5 million available to local authorities and housing associations to install Energy Assistance Package Stage 3 measures in their properties, provided they partnered this with funding from a CERT provider. Fifty-six Housing Associations have benefited from this resource.

  Measures at stage 1 and 2 of the package are available to both social and private sector households and we would encourage tenants of social sector landlords to apply for this help. These sources of help are available across the country.

  We will provide advice and clarification to rural housing associations on how best to implement the energy efficiency requirements of the Scottish Housing Quality Standard which they are expected to meet, in full, by 2015. Achievement of the Scottish Housing Quality Standard means that rural tenants will have effective insulation and full efficient central heating and their homes will have to meet a minimum energy efficiency level.

Fuel Poverty

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent statistics it has for fuel poverty in rural areas.

Alex Neil: The following table shows the most recent figures for fuel poverty in rural areas. These are taken from the 2008 Scottish House Condition Survey.

  Fuel Poverty by Urban/Rural Classification, 2008

  

 Households
 Not Fuel Poor
 Fuel Poor
 Total


 Row %
 Count
 Row %
 Count
 Row %
 Count


 Urban
 75.9
 1,469,000 
 24.1
 466,000 
 100.0
 1,935,000 


 Rural
 61.6
 244,000 
 38.4
 152,000 
 100.0
 396,000 


 Scotland
 73.5
 1,713,000 
 26.5
 618,000 
 100.0
 2,331,000 



  Source: Scottish House Condition Survey, 2008.

Further Education

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take action to ensure that further education students receive an acceptable minimum amount of student support throughout their studies and how the additional money for 2010-11 announced by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning will assist further education students.

Michael Russell: Ministers have no role in setting the budgets of individual colleges. That is the responsibility of the Scottish Funding Council, which for 2010-11 has increased by 6.2% (£4.9 million) the resources it provides to colleges for the purpose of providing bursaries and other student support.

Health

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many acute occupied bed days in NHS Western Isles were directly connected to a diagnosis of assault by sharp object in each of the last five years for which information is available.

Nicola Sturgeon: In order to minimise the risk of patient disclosure due to small numbers it is not possible to provide the number of occupied bed days for NHS Western Isles.

  The aggregate number of occupied bed days for all island boards (NHS Orkney, NHS Shetland and NHS Western Isles) where a diagnosis of "assault by sharp object" is recorded is presented in the following table.

  Aggregate number of acute occupied bed days1,2 in the island boards (NHS Orkney, NHS Shetland and NHS Western Isles) connected with an assault by sharp object3, patient discharged during year ending 31 March 2005-09:

  

 Financial Years
 Total Number of Bed Days4


 2004-05
 1


 2005-06
 0


 2006-07
 0


 2007-08
 7


 2008-09
 7



  Source: ISD Scotland, SMR01

  Notes:

  1. Hospital admission data are derived from linked records on discharges from non-obstetric and non-psychiatric hospitals (SMR01) in Scotland.

  2. Bed Days are calculated using the length of stay variable.

  3. Assault by sharp object connected incidents are defined as ICD-10 code X99 in any secondary diagnosis positions.

  4. The number of bed days can be influenced by the severity of the injury received and hence total bed day figures do not necessarily reflect the underlying number of admissions.

  For information; the numbers of admissions connected to assault by a sharp object in the island boards provided in the answer to question S3W-32124 on 15 March 2010, however, the figures were suppressed to minimise the risk of disclosure due to small numbers. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

  Additional data and commentary on assault by a sharp object is published as part of ISD’s Unintentional Injuries publication http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/5327.html.

Health

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many acute occupied bed days in NHS Orkney were directly connected to a diagnosis of assault by sharp object in each of the last five years for which information is available.

Nicola Sturgeon: In order to minimise the risk of disclosure due to small numbers it is not possible to provide the number of occupied bed days for NHS Orkney.

  The aggregate number of occupied bed days for all island boards (NHS Orkney, NHS Shetland and NHS Western Isles) where a diagnosis of "assault by sharp object" is available in the answer to question S3W-33978 on 10 June 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Health

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many acute occupied bed days in NHS Shetland were directly connected to a diagnosis of assault by sharp object in each of the last five years for which information is available.

Nicola Sturgeon: In order to minimise the risk of disclosure due to small numbers it is not possible to provide the number of occupied bed days for NHS Shetland.

  The aggregate number of occupied bed days in for all island boards (NHS Orkney, NHS Shetland and NHS Western Isles) where a diagnosis of "assault by sharp object" is available in the answer to question S3W-33978 on 10 June 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many acute occupied bed days in NHS Forth Valley were directly connected to a diagnosis of assault by sharp object in each of the last five years for which information is available.

Nicola Sturgeon: The number of occupied bed days in NHS Forth Valley where a diagnosis of ‘assault by sharp object’ is presented in the following table.

  Number of acute occupied bed days1,2 in NHS Forth Valley connected with an assault by sharp object3, patient discharged during year ending 31 March 2005-09:

  

 Financial Years
 Total Number of Bed Days4


 2004-05
 59


 2005-06
 43


 2006-07
 20


 2007-08
 40


 2008-09
 103



  Source: ISD Scotland, SMR01

  Notes:

  1. Hospital admission data are derived from linked records on discharges from non-obstetric and non-psychiatric hospitals (SMR01) in Scotland.

  2. Bed days are calculated using the length of stay variable.

  3. Assault by sharp object connected incidents are defined as ICD-10 code X99 in any secondary diagnosis positions.

  4. The number of bed days can be influenced by the severity of the injury received and hence total bed day figures do not necessarily reflect the underlying number of admissions.

  For information; the numbers of admissions connected to assault by a sharp object in NHS Forth Valley was provided in the answer to question S3W-32124 on 15 March 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

  Additional data and commentary on assault by a sharp object is published as part of ISD’s Unintentional Injuries publication http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/5327.html.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many procedures for bariatric surgery were carried out in each of the last six years, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The number of bariatric surgery procedures, carried out in the last six year, by NHS board of residence, is shown in the following table.

  Table: Number of bariatric surgery procedures undertaken in NHSScotland by NHS board of residence; financial years 2003-04 to 2008-09:

  

 
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08
 2008-09


 Ayrshire and Arran
 5
 7
 13
 7
 11
 39


 Borders
 2
 -
 -
 2
 3
 3


 Dumfries and Galloway
 2
 4
 2
 1
 2
 1


 Fife
 1
 1
 1
 -
 4
 5


 Forth Valley
 4
 9
 16
 21
 32
 16


 Grampian
 9
 6
 8
 23
 21
 25


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 31
 55
 80
 120
 140
 85


 Highland
 6
 1
 1
 6
 9
 13


 Lanarkshire
 6
 15
 20
 24
 45
 27


 Lothian
 10
 4
 5
 10
 20
 23


 Orkney Islands
 -
 -
 1
 1
 -
 -


 Shetland Islands
 -
 -
 2
 1
 1
 1


 Tayside
 -
 1
 -
 2
 1
 1


 Western Isles
 -
 2
 2
 1
 1
 -


 All Scotland
 76
 105
 151
 219
 290
 239



  Source: ISD Scotland (SMR01).

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when people will have full access to their health records.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Data Protection Act 1998 gives individuals, the right to apply to see information that NHS organisations hold about them, including health records and obtain a copy should they wish. There are a small number of circumstances where information within the health record may be kept from the individual.

  All NHS organisations have procedures in place to enable patients to exercise this right.

  It remains our longer term aim to consider how best we might support the delivery of technology which would enable patients to have greater access to their own information. The pace and scale of patient related eHealth investment will be considered in the context of the successor to the eHealth strategy 2008-2011.

NHS Staff

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many midwives graduated in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10.

Nicola Sturgeon: The number of midwives graduating in 2007-08 and 2008-09 is set out in the following table. The figures for 2009-10 are not yet available.

  Graduate Midwives

  

 2007-08
 161


 2008-09
 143

NHS Staff

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacancies for midwives were advertised in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10.

Nicola Sturgeon: This is a matter for NHS Scotland boards, which have fully delegated authority over recruitment, including the advertising of vacancies. This information is not held centrally.

NHS Staff

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many midwives accessed the one year job guarantee scheme in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10.

Nicola Sturgeon: The number of newly qualified midwives who have accessed the One Year Job Guarantee Scheme in 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 is set out in the following table.

  One Year Job Guarantee Scheme - Midwifery

  

 2007-08
 29


 2008-09
 43


 2009-10 
 39



  All of those who apply to the scheme receive assistance to find a job although the majority of newly qualified staff secure a job through their own efforts.

Police

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are in relation to the police forensic services provided in Edinburgh.

Kenny MacAskill: The provision of police forensic science services is an operational matter for the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA). SPSA is currently undertaking a forensic modernisation project looking at all aspects of the service provided to police forces across Scotland and to the Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Service. This project will generate a service model which could have an impact on how the current facilities are used.

  SPSA intends to give staff, customers and stakeholders an opportunity to review the recommended service model and provide comment before presenting the proposal to the SPSA Board.

  The Scottish Government will consider the SPSA recommendations contained in the service model when they have been provided.

Police

Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce elected police commissioners.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government supports the current tripartite arrangements and has no plans to introduce elected police commissioners.

Public Services

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to mitigate the effects of financial cutbacks on public services.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government’s 2010-11 Budget, which was approved by majority vote in the Parliament, seeks to protect frontline services and prioritise economic recovery in the face of the significant spending reductions imposed by the previous UK Government.

  The budget included an average increase of 2.7% in funding for NHS boards and, for a third successive year, an increase in the proportionate share of the overall Scottish budget allocated to local government, which had been in steady decline under the previous administration.

Rail Services

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in cutting journey times by rail from Inverness to Edinburgh.

Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland has been working in close partnership with Network Rail and First ScotRail to deliver improvements to rail services between Inverness and the Central Belt from December 2011. The precise details of these improvements will be known later this year.

Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review the operation of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000.

Kenny MacAskill: The Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act is kept under constant review.

Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the recent finding of Big Brother Watch that local authorities are using covert surveillance powers to investigate people for minor offences.

Kenny MacAskill: The Office of Surveillance Commissioners provides independent oversight of the use of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000. The commissioner reports annually to the Scottish and UK Parliaments on the operation of the legislation.

Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the recent finding of Big Brother Watch that local authorities are using covert surveillance powers to investigate people for minor offences.

Kenny MacAskill: The Office of Surveillance Commissioners (OSC) is responsible for providing independent oversight of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000 (RIPSA). Through its routine inspections, the OSC is responsible for ensuring that authorising officers in local authorities are meeting the necessity and proportionality criteria in the act.

Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the recent findings of Big Brother Watch that local authorities are using covert surveillance powers to investigate people for minor offences, whether it plans to review the use of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000 by local authorities.

Kenny MacAskill: The Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act is kept under constant review.

Violence Against Women

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that schemes such as those referred to in Women’s Aid’s Analysis of Local Authority Gender Equality Schemes include specific proposals to tackle violence against women.

Alex Neil: It is the responsibility of public authorities to decide on the content of their Gender Equality Schemes. It is not the role of Scottish Government to ensure that Schemes include specific proposals to tackle violence against women or any other issue. However, we have a joint approach with COSLA to tackling violence against women, which recognises that violence against women is a consequence of continuing inequality between men and women and also a barrier to achieving equality.

  Safer Lives: Changed Lives http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/06/02153519/1.

  Tackling violence against women is therefore essential in meeting the Gender Equality Duty and this is why it is a gender equality ministerial priority. Ministers will be publishing a report in July 2010 giving an overview of progress across Scottish public authorities in tackling this problem.

  The sample of public authorities selected for the document review stage of our work included 10 local authorities (and 10 education authorities, eight of which were different from the local authority sample) and Gender Equality Schemes were one source of information scrutinised.

Waste Management

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many organisations receiving financial support for undertaking waste reduction, landfill diversion or recycling programmes have had their funding reduced by the Scottish Government in the last 12 months and by what amount the funding was reduced in comparison with the total cost of each programme.

Richard Lochhead: In the last 12 months, three projects have had their funding reduced by Zero Waste Scotland, all from the INCREASE III programme, which invests in Third Sector resource efficiency projects.

  These are:

  Friends of the Earth Scotland – Funding reduced by £93,728.24 against an original contracted total of £203,198.44, a reduction of 46%;

  Instant Neighbour – Funding reduced by £66,329.06 against an original contracted total of £138,525, a reduction of 47%, and

  Edinburgh Community Backgreens Initiative – Funding reduced by £4,310.64 against an original contracted total of £32,490, a reduction of 13%.

  The total funding reduction across these three projects is £164,367.94 – against total committed funding to date through the INCREASE III Programme of £4.9 million – 3% of the total committed. This is all being reallocated within the INCREASE III programme.

Waste Management

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether organisations receiving financial support for undertaking waste reduction, landfill diversion or recycling programmes and that have had their funding reduced by the Scottish Government in the last 12 months will be offered a chance to appeal against any such reductions.

Richard Lochhead: The Zero Waste Scotland Programme funds a large number of projects that contribute to waste reduction and recycling targets. In the last year it has funded projects to tackle food waste and construction waste and it has provided funding support for third sector organisations and provided technical support to local authorities.

  All projects are funded on a competitive application basis, with funding decisions made by assessment panels based on ability to deliver and value for money. Applicants who are refused funding have a right to appeal any decision. Successful projects are funded on a contractual basis with performance assessed against agreed milestones. Funding may be reduced where milestones are not met, for a variety of reasons.

  There is no right to appeal against funding reductions once projects are up and running, but any reductions are only made following detailed discussions with projects.

Waste Management

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, where funding for organisations receiving financial support for undertaking waste reduction, landfill diversion or recycling programmes has been reduced in the last 12 months, where this funding has been or will be redirected.

Richard Lochhead: Any funding which is reduced stays within the Zero Waste Scotland Programme and is reallocated to other projects which contribute to waste reduction or recycling targets.